Online help - useless or trying to rip me off???

[shaunbrace]

Hope this on the right page....if not can admin move it to appropriate one...

So,

Finally decided to renew my account as next increase would take it over £150 a month...........

I logged in and the first page says 'your contract has expired...We may be able to reduce your monthly price'

So, clicked on renewal deal and up pops 2 deals - upgrade speed for £120 or get wifi max for £120..

Selected the upgrade speed which takes me to what i'll be getting - Virgin TV 360, sky sports & Cinema HD, Mega TV, Phone line rental and 1GB broadband..

I have a second virgin box currently and that isn't mentioned in the deal so went onto online chat to clarify if it is included or would need to add it on........

cue online agent - I shall offer you same Mega Tv which comes with 220+ channels, V500 broadband with 2 Tv boxes, sky sports and movies, landline with anytime calls at 184.50GBP a month and it will be a new 18 months contract .

Me - errrr.....184 is quite a jump up from 120...i just wanted to know if the renew included the secondbox...............

plus the broadband is 1gb on the renew

Now....remember this it the offer that the website said, for existing customers......

Agent - Am afraid see those are welcome deals which are offered only once as a joining bonus similarly youwere treated when you were a new customer, The original price is 235.75GBP going forward consideringyour loyalty am offering you at 184.50GBP a month which is the best.

Me - I could literally click 'continue' and my new contract would be 120 pounds...it's not a welcome deal..itsthe offer that my logged in account is giving me.....

Agent - I am afraid, the contract will not go through, please refer the contract letter and the after discountexpiry price as it is not applicable for existing customers.

So, after this I kept asking why it was showing this on the existing customer page only to get 'new customers only!' repeatedly....

I have the transcript but as it's pdf i wont post it direct.

SOOOOOOOO......... is the virgin website giving an existing customer duff gen in the hopes that if it doesn't go through they will just take any new deal.....we're here to save you money as an existing customer, but will actually charge you a ridiculous amount more!

Is the agent trying something dodgy? An increase to 184.50 is ridiculous, but to say it would have been 235.75 is just downright robbery!

Seriously not happy with VM right now and would love to know what's going on.........is the renew right? Will it go through if I continue.........Is the agent right, in which case , I may as well not renew and I'll still be saving at least 30 quid a month, plus I still get free TNT (BT sports).

Could someone from VM who actually could find out what's right look into this please.

[Joseph_B]

Hey @shaunbrace,

Welcome to the Community Forums and thanks for the post.

Sorry that you have been having this issue with your package, if the email came through towards the end of your contract as a renewal, this will be an existing customer offer for you, however with this the package specifics are stated in the options on the account, if there is an additional box, it should include this in the breakdown of the TV section of the package.

Joe

[shaunbrace]

It wasn't an e-mail...this is just what offer pops up when I log in....been out of contract for a while,,, just forgot about it.

So if it's coming up then it's a valid offer and the agent basically doesn't have a clue????

[newapollo]

Hi shaunbrace 

You said, "I selected the upgrade speed which takes me to what i'll be getting - Virgin TV 360, sky sports & Cinema HD, Mega TV, Phone line rental and 1GB broadband..I have a second virgin box currently and that isn't mentioned in the deal "

The frontline phone agents, and those on messenger and the whatsapp service don't have access to the same deals offered online or via email, they also wouldn't be able to check what the actual offer details are regarding TNT Sports, faster broadband or additional box as those offers don't show on their systems.

VM changed their packages last September and the Ultimate Volt and Ultimate Oomph packages are now obsolete, and have been superceded with the new Mega Volt package which it looks like you have been offered.

The Mega Volt package doesn't include TNT Sports (VM no longer have the option to include TNT Sports in any packages for new or recontracting customers, that facility was removed last September) its now only available as a standalone addon (usually an extra £18 a month)  The package also generally only comes with one set top box and M500 broadband -  the new priicing is an additional £6 a month extra if you want the Gig1 broadband, and an extra £10 a month for the first additional box and an extra £5 a month if you want a third additional box.

Having said all of the above, you should be able negotiate a lower price for the package including the extra set top box, TNT Sports and faster broadband, but I would advise you to call 150 from your VM landline and speak to option 4 retentions (thinking of leaving)  It's best to call at 8am when lines first open to avoid call queues.

They are generally based in the UK, and have a greater degree of knowledge and flexibility, along with a larger range of discounts than the front line agents. Hopefully you can negotiate a deal with them that's suitable to your pocket and needs in exchange for a new contract.